A SPORTS chain is eyeing a move into the former Debenhams store at the Monks Cross shopping centre.

Trustees acting for the retail park have submitted separate planning applications concerning signage and making a window larger at the site at Unit 19 Monks Cross Shopping Park.

A letter from planning agents to the City of York Council concerning the advertising/ lighting application speaks of consents "required by Decathlon as new tenants required for the now vacant former Debenhams store." The application for the windows speaks of "the proposed new tenant Decathlon."

The store closed last May as part of a nationwide closure of the chain. The Debenhams in Davygate in York city centre closed in December 2019 and has remained empty ever since.

Decathlon is a French sports good retailer with with more than 2,000 stores, across 56 countries in 5 continents, with close to 100,000 employees. It was founded in 1976 and in 2020 reported global revenues of US$11.4 billion, making it the largest sporting goods retailer in the world.

A Decathlon spokesperson told the Press it was too soon to comment on plans, but they would when they can.